In a Well-Ordered Universe These Authors Would Co-Write Gloriously Stupendous Books

In a well ordered universe, everyone would do what I said and therefore we would have these glorious co-author combinations as I decree. What?! I’M JUST SAYIN’ IT’D BE NICE. Although to be honest, I haven’t read that many co-authored books. I guess most authors are hermitish creature and work alone? Or else they just don’t know who to team up with. SO I AM HERE TO TELL THEM. AND YOU.

Also my photos aren’t particularly creative today because — RAIN. Dang it. One cannot fraternise with nature if it rains.

I only just read Blood Red Road and am mildly obsessed…and it so reminded me of The Knife of Never Letting Go. ERGO. THEY NEED TO WRITE A BOOK TOGETHER. All that slang. It would be glorious and probably need a translator.

(Also look at those matching covers! Even the cover designers agree with me.)

So The Accident Season ISN’T in this photo I KNOW — EPIC FAIL CAIT. But it’s such a pretty photo and I love it and I had to use it.

Even their names go together (and are impossible to spell) so clearly it’s meant to be. Maggie Stiefvater (as you might have noted from constant shrieking on my part) is my FAVOURITE author ever and Moira Fowley-Doyle is the first author who I think has a similar style. But still different. BUT STILL GLORIOUS.

Breakin’ hearts and bones = their motto.

GEE, I’M SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT MY HANDS. DOES THAT LOOK NATURAL TO YOU???

I mean look at all the danger in this photo right?! It would be a frighteningly dangerous combination. I think Abigail Haas is the queen of thrillers, and while I really liked Becca Fitzpatrick’s upcoming Dangerous Lies…I almost always feel her books are missing a little something. So put these two together and — BOOM — terrifying thrillers and please trust no one.

Basically I adore John Green. ALL THE JOHN GREEN. (I’m so excited he’s finally writing his next novel! I mean he’s been writing it forever. But he went on an internet-hiatus to write?! That sounds promising, right?!) And my first though when reading Extraordinary Means was how MUCH like John Green it felt — but different. So basically they’d compliment each other epically. And then would make us all cry.

They both specialise in particularly unfeeling females who PUNCH PEOPLE AND THEN EAT CAKE WITH ZERO REGRETS. Which is endlessly fun to read about. Plus wouldn’t Divergent have been 93830% better if “divergent” had been code for “zombie”? It would. Do not deny this.

Can you just imagine?!? They both have written books with death personified. I want a book where they personify…oh goodness, Dark vs Light? Hope vs Horror? Evil vs Cake? (Because cake is the opposite of evil, obviously.) DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WANT THIS????

Because they both wrote sort of Roman inspired sci-fi worlds and I think they could do something really hardcore and epic. Death everywhere. War! Fighting for freedom! Characters like Darrow and Katniss would get on like wild fire anyway. And by “get on” I mean probably kill each other. How perfectly lovely.

This is perfect, it totally is — YOU HAVE TO ADMIT IT IS. VE Schawb is publisheing 2 books next year. Two books. GRRM last published one back in 1942, I think. Somewhere around there. Either way, the dude needs a fast writing partner to help him get a shovel on.

ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF GRRM’S WRITING SPEED.

Also somehow they both write HORRIBLE characters that I somehow fall in love with and refer to as “darling” and “my little sweetie” despite said character being completely psychopathic. I don’t know?? DON’T JUDGE. These things just happens.

SO, my brackish blogglings! firstly, do you like any of my dream co-writer combinations?! which do you like BEST? WHAT GENIE CAN WE WISH ON TO GET THESE? (i need a genie.) who would you pitch together? and, while we’re on the topic…how often do you come across/read co-written books?!

Comments

Haha, we included quite a few of the same authors on our list (Laini Taylor, Patrick Ness, Markus Zusak, Tahereh Mafi) but in none of the same pairs. I really like the idea of Markus Zusak and Martha Brockenbrough together, though. Like I am really a fan of that. Wow. *goes starry-eyed*
Unfortunately it seems like for most of your pairs I’ve only read a book by one of the authors, so I’m having a bit of trouble coming up with any other commentary xD But I do so love your book photography ahhh <33

Great list, Cait! Neil Gaiman and Laini Taylor would write something very lovely, I think, and I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Blood Red Road – it’s one of my favourite YA books, and I think Moira Young and Patrick Ness together would make something very cool. Lovely photos, as always. 🙂

I like your SUZANNE COLLINS & PIERCE BROWN combination 🙂 I like it very much. I would also welcome a book by Susan Ee & Pierce Brown. Or Katja Millay & Heather Demetrios (that would be a killer YA contemporary combination). Possibilities are endless!

There are actually none of your pairings in which I have read something by both authors *hangs head in shame* So instead I’ve kind of just used your list to find even more authors and books that I need to read!
I didn’t think I’d heard of Amy Tintera before, but on going on to Goodreads to check her out I found that I already had her book on my TBR, which is a good thing because Reboot looks amazing! HOW HAVE I NOT READ THIS BOOK YET?!
I also had George RR Martin on my list this week, but I paired him with Christopher Paolini. That would be one amazing fantasy world, and the dragons! Lots and lots of Dragons! 🙂

Oh, wonder, what a list. This is perfection and my neck hurts from the excess of NODS. (I, too, just veer off into caps when trying to drive a point home. I feel Tahereh.)

I keep fixating on the idea of Laini Taylor and Holly Black. I can’t quite explain it, either, but I’ve been at it for over a year at this point. There’s just something otherworldly and unhinged and so reminiscent of one another in their writing. It didn’t quite occur to me until I read My True Love Gave To Me, and Laini’s and Holly’s were the only two spectacularly demented stories, and that’s when it struck me. And now I’m stuck. SOMEONE MAKE THEM TEAM UP SO I CAN STOP PICTURING IT! (Caps again. Apologies. It’s an important request/plea/desperate wish.)

Some of these pairings would blow up Goodreads if they came to pass! Like, V E Schwab and George RR Martin? That’s a stampede at the book store right there! And I would die if Neil Gaiman and Laini Taylor wrote something together, it would be beautiful and magical and just… YES! Great list!

My poor fangirling heart would EXPLODE WITH FEELS AND TERROR FOR THEIR POOR LITTLE CHARACTERS. Because basically everyone would die. *nods* And Maas and Dennard neeeeeeds to happen. If only they’d get a book deal for their sci-fi book!!

The Ocean at the End of the Lane <3
I bought this as an E-Book and fell inlove. I'm glad I have it on my E-Reader because there are loads of quotes I love and highlighted, but this is one of those books that I want to have and hold and smell and devour!!! I've put off buying a copy in hopes that Neil Gaiman will do a signing nearby. Yes, I'm obsessed. Haha

I feel like John Green and Jennifer Niven could team up, or even John Green and Rainbow Rowell. NO! NO! I have a monster partnership – John Green, Jennifer Niven, Stephanie Perkins, and Rainbow Rowell – that book would have amazing characters you fall in love with, but then your heart would be thrown on the floor, stomped on, reversed over several times by a bus, and leave you weeping. Even us Vulcan-like folk.

Amy Tintera is AMAZING (although I don’t think there’s cake in that book? I meant Dauntless cake + zombies haha. SORRY. xD) But seriously Wren is like epic and kicks butt and if she loves someone, she breaks their arm. :’) OMG JOHN GREEN AND JENNIFER NIVEN! Yes. I will also take your monster partnership and accept it fully. And it just proves how talented these authors are if they make we Vulcans cry, right?

Omg, how brutal would a book by Collins and Brown be? So much blood and gore! I kind of want this book now – what does that say about me? Lol. Oh, and I just read The Scorpio Races – which I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear – and loved it! Review went up the other week.

I said YES! out loud when you said Maggie Stievater and Moira Fowely-Doyle. That would be the book to end all books. I did it again when I reach Tahereh Mafi and Sally Green. I didn’t know I needed those two duos until you pointed it out, but not I can’t imagine NOT wanting those duos to write a book.

Co-written books tend to be hit-or-miss, I think, and I but both of this would be hit.

IT WOULD BE THE BOOK OF ULTIMATE GLORY. It should happen. Someone make it happen. Omg. *flails and dies* And can you imagine the Mafi/Green book!? The characters would be exploding and our feels would be utterly mashed. :’)

George R.R. Martin & V.E. Schwab would be amazing! I would love to see what they would come up with together! And even though I haven’t read anything by the co-author of Maggie Stiefvater, I’d still buy it. Just because it said Maggie Stiefvater 😉

JOHN GREEN AND ROBYN SCHNEIDER- YASSSS!!! I think their voices would really match and I bet they’d come up with a really wonderfully heartbreaking book together. I still have yet to read Extraordinary Means though- probably should do so while I wait for this collaboration to happen someday. 😉

YES NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME!! (her book is even set in October!! Or November? I can’t even remember but I’m like 89% sure it’s october. XD) And it’s just ajfdklsad beautiful and gorgeous. Although Maggie Stiefvater is still the QUEEN though. Because reasons.

I was totally pumped for this topic. I was seriously ready to scream YES at every author duo you picked out. Unfortunately, I haven’t read nearly enough of these to do that *blushes* I AM SO BEHIND!!! 🙁

Oooh, I love the last one! Dare I say it I’ve never read a co-written book, but I’ve wanted to write one on one occassion (it is quite fun, although the project has sadly died a slow and insignificant death – sigh). I think it’s very curious and the only co-written book I can think of now is Will Grayson, Will Grayson (I think that’s the title). Levithan and Green are a dream team apparently, so there’s that. BUT YOU NAME SUCH GREAT AUTHORS. WOW. I am eagerly awaiting this long list of co-written books by them! (Yeah, we so need a genie).

I co-wrote a book with my sister! We. had. so. much. FUN. OMG. But it was ridiculously cliche. haha. BUT FUN COUNTS, RIGHT!?? I haven’t read a lot of co-written books. The last one that I read was Zeroes and it didn’t please my queeness. BUT I adore the Starbound trilogy so so much! OMG AND WILL GRAYSON! That book had me in stitches.

Great list, Gaiman and Taylor would be fabulous and I think GRR Martin and anybody would be good, maybe someone like Rachel Van Dyken or Jessica Sorenson who have books out all the time!!! I need the next GOT book now Mr Martin!!!

First off, there need to be MORE CO AUTHORED BOOKS in the world. I’m reading Illuminae right now and it is amazing. And second, you have some pairings here that I seriously did not even think about. Suzanne Collins and Pierce Brown will have a book with just dead people everywhere. And LAINI TAYLOR AND NEIL GAIMAN. Why did I not think of that??

AHHH I CAN’T WAIT FOR ILLUMINAE!! I’m preordering it this week. I mean, there’s like 9 days to go but pfft. STILL GONNA. And there would be so much dead people in a Collins/Brown book. It would be devastating and horrible and we would hate them but we would love it. :’)

Dear god! Your list! I am in love with your list.
Martin with Schwab? I want that happening! I have Martin on my list as well, but paring him with someone that might actually kick his ass into publishing faster is a good idea.
And Zusak and Brockenbrough? Why has that not happened yet?

Also, just to say it i want a book where someone writes about the fight of evil vs cake. Why has that not happened yet?

Awmigosh, THANK YOU DAWNIE! 😀 We just basically need GRRM to be locked in a small room with nothing but whatever-he-likes-to-write-with and JUST MAKE HIM WRITE BECAUSE OMG. He holds so much power and writes so slow. *dies*

I think for every single on of your pairings I’ve read one author and not the other, lol. I see this as a win though because it encourages me to read the unread author of the pair because if they blend well with an author I like they are bound to be interesting! I think my favorite for the humor (but not really) is George R.R. and V.E. Schwab. I think I am most intrigued by your # 2 pairing. And yes, Diversgent would have been MUCH better if divergent=zombie so I’m down with that pairing 100%.

Your choices are absolutely fantastic! These authors would all work so, so well together and their books would be mind-blowing. I especially like the pairings of Markus Zusak & Martha Brockenbrough (just imagine how amazing their story would be!) and Suzanne Collins and Pierre Brown (they would have such a great world and such crisp writing). Thanks for sharing Cait and, as always, fabulous choices! ♥

Maybe I’ve only read a few of these authors. But now I do know who I ought to read! Especially the author you paired with Markus Zusak. Personifying death! YES!

I AM SO GLAD YOU READ BLOOD RED ROAD!? Isn’t it the best ever? (I really need to find the second book, asap.) Saba is one of my very favorite characters now. All the way! She can be mean sometimes, but I think she’s mean because she cares (does that even make sense?). To be honest, I did not like Emmi at first and in the beginning I was a little disappointed when I realized she was tagging along. But she grew on me and I love how Saba and Emmi’s relationship grew along the way. Yay for siblings! I love, love Saba and Lugh’s relationship too. Ahem, Jack. . . I liked Jack. Okay, I loved Jack. But my reactions to him kind of mirrored Saba’s. One minute I think I like and next I’m thinking, “I do not trust this dude over here.” Actually, I related to Saba a lot. . . Which is kind of scary. I do love how they had that love/hate relationship going on. Those kind are the best because– conflict! Also, they’re an impulsive little duo and I kind of like that too.

THE CAGE FIGHTS! JUST WOW! Those were so intense. Very edgy. Everyone is trying to survive and not lose their humanity at the same time. How do you- HOW?!

The only I did not like was the mercy killing part near the end. Why could they not go back for her? (I don’t even remember her name now? I feel stupid. Was it Epona? Or was she someone else?) They went back for Lugh. They went back for Emmi. Why not her? Why is it that Lugh’s and Emmi’s lives were more important than hers? I mean, yeah, in the world of the book there are certain characters that are more important to the movement of the plot than others. But theme and moral-wise, I do not understand the mercy killing. Just no. I refuse to think that’s okay.

Ahem, sorry. This kind of just turned into a fangirl comment on Blood Red. But it’s such a great book! So why not?! I really do need the second one though.

I’m like 99999% sure that you would LOVE A Game of Life and Death. IT’s like historical fiction AND has Death/Love as people and afjdksla it’s adorable and wonderful and shippable and ALSO DEATH. *nods* It calls to you Ashley. Don’t ignore this.

YESSSS BLOOD RED ROAD IS EVERYTHING. OMG WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ THEM?!?!? Saba is everything basically. When people pitch heroines as “tough”, pfft, they ain’t got nuthin’ on Saba. SHE IS HARDCORE. And I love how her and Emmi’s relationship changed. Omg. At the end, where she didn’t even hesitate before offering her life for Emmi’s I’M HAVING AN EMOTION. I love Jack. I adore Jack. But I’m sure Jack is 100% not reliable. :’)
(I got a bit annoyed with the mercy killing part. Because they did EVERYTHING to get out Lugh. But why was his life worth more than the-girl-who-died?? i can’t remember her name either. But, tbh, I struggled for several moments sitting here trying to remember Emmi’s name so YEAH I HAVE PrOBLEMS. -_-)

NEVER APOLOGISE FOR FANGIRLING HERE. OMG. I’M GLAD TO FINALLY FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS AS MUCH FEELS ABOUT IT AS ME!!!

Ahhh, I loved this idea so much the first time you wrote this post, so I’m so happy you’re linking up to do it again! 😀

I don’t actually recognize both names on ANY duo, though! 😛 Sometimes I didn’t know either author, but most of the time I just knew one of them. BUT. George R.R. Martin definitely needs to collaborate with SOMEONE, if only to kick his butt into gear!

She is incredibly whimsical. :’) Her first book is my FAVOURITE THING EVER, although I’m not such a fan of the others. haha. BUT SHHH. Don’t let the avid Taylor fans know or I’ll be squashed by angels and chimera.

oooh, Pierce Brown and Suzanne Collins wouldn’t be a bad pair, considering both their books have similar themes AND are brutal as hell XDD But I have a different person in mind for Victoria Schwab……. BRANDON SANDERSON!!! I’ve found their prose to be very similar – simple yet containing so much substance, simple and yet so lyrical – and their fantasies are TOP. NOTCH. Would love to see them collaborate!

YES to John Green and Robyn Schneider! I thought the same as you did when I first read a Robyn Schneider book (mine was The Beginning of Everything), and it just seems like a John Green story, but without being totally it..I don’t know if I make any sense, haha, but anyways they would go so well together!! I’d love for that to happen. And yes, he went on an hiatus to write his next novel, HE IS CURRENTLY WRITING and I am KIND OF FREAKING OUT. But I can’t wait.
All of these pictures and books and damn, you make me want to read everything!! 😀

I neeed to read The Beginning of Everything! I just found out my library had it so it’s SO going on the reserve list for next week. hehe And SAME! I just felt it was really John Green, but still different enough that I didn’t think it was rippy-offy at all. 😀 THEY ARE MADE TO WRITE TOGETHER, TBH.

AFJDKSLAD LET’S HOPE HE FINISHES IT AND WE GET TO READ IT BECAUSE OMG! OMG! I WANT TO READ A NEW GREEN BOOK SO BAD!

I really hope you’ll enjoy The Beginning of Everything! 😀
I KNOW, ME TOO,!!! To be honest, I’m doing the victory dance right now, because you didn’t blew me off for my craziness when it comes to a John Green book, haha! I REALLY NEED TO READ A NEW JOHN GREEN SOON, so let’s hope it comes SOON. 😀

But Laini Taylor and Neil Gaiman would be a match made in heaven. The lyricism, my goodness it would be GLORIOUS! I know you’ve got pull, so I’m counting on your to make this happen smushy. These are brilliant parings, perfect actually. I wonder how authors end up collaborating, is it a case of having your people call their people kind of deal?

BUT SALLY GREEN. C’MON. They would mesh so well. But I concede that Laini Taylor would also be acceptable. 😉 See, look at me being all nice and agreeable here? Omg, I’ll need to lie down in a minute. This is taking all my energy.

I bet there are secret author met ups and they consume lots of chocolate and sacrifice toblerones to the moon and do all that normal, authory stuff. And then they just match up with each other and write a bit and — BOOM. 6 figure book deals everywhere.

I don’t know what is better – your combinations or your photos. (I haven’t read a lot of authors you mentioned, but soon (as soon as I find that book genie (or fairy godmother, I’m not picky)), I will be able to stop time while reading so I can finally read ALL THE BOOKS. )

I had no idea who would I pitch together, so I took a cowards way out and didn’t post TTT today (although I promised to myself I am getting back to. Next Tuesday for sure! (And hey it’s about genies – it must be fate.))

Most of the co-written books I have read were good, I could never tell who wrote which part. In fact one of my favorite authors – Ilona Andrews is husband+wife writing duo. 🙂

AFJDSLKA THANK YOU SO MUCH, DRAGANA. 😀 I feel like I wasn’t very creative and just took all these photos in the usual spots but ah well. Some days are like that right?! 😛 AHEM. But yes I want a book genie or a fairy godmother…I won’t be picky either. I’ll settle for a magical fish even.

Omg, next week is about genies?! I’M SO SET. I have a wishlist a mile long.

YES! We need a genie to wish these collabs to happen. We need this to happen! I’d have to say that your selections are pretty awesome. I can imagine how wonderfully perfect their books are going to be! Bookish dream. Ahh….

Out of all your pairings, there isn’t one where I’ve read both authors. But I totally plan to read a bunch of these at some point. In fact, I actually own a few of these books. So hopefully in a few months time I will be agreeing with a few of your pairings.

AHH! I can’t comment on these pairings since I haven’t read one or both of each duos. I think the last one is the winner though. Once they got down to writing, we’d end up with a cast of epically written characters we’d love and hate AND a great number of heartaching deaths. that render us speechless.

For all of these but one, I have only read one of the two authors. SO YAY for not being able to comment on nine of the ten co-author couplings you want.

BUT the two I have read are John Green and Robyn Schneider. I do believe they share a certain common element, even though they are different. I think the two styles would really complement each other if the two authors WERE to co-write a book. And if it was another sick teenagers book, I don’t think any of us would have tears or hearts left for all the pain.

I obviously need to get reading because I love half of the authors up there, and if you’re pairing them with ones I haven’t heard of, they’re obviously worth it!

Laini Taylor and Neil Gaiman would be so great together! I’d love to see Tamora Pierce and Rachel Hartman work together. The two fantasy geniuses would be amazing. I can only imagine the world-building that would happen!

Although, tbh, I don’t really notice that much when a book is co-written (unless it’s written badly). Interesting selections!

gah cait your book photography for this post was so spot on!! i can’t even decide on a favorite; THEY WERE ALL FABULOUS. these choices were also fantastic. oh, and i LOVE this title. in well ordered universe, everyone would use the phrase “in a well ordered universe.”

I’m so here for the Markus Zuzack and Martha Brockenbrough collaboration. I would die if those two wrote a book together mainly because it would make me cry but mostly because of the writing itself. I also haven’t read many co-written books but my favorites are probably The Starbound Trilogy (although I’ve only read the first one so by all means I have no right to call them my favorites, where am I even going with this?)

I like I haven’t read about 90% of the authors you listed, so I would need to read a bunch more before I could weigh in on your authorly combinations. But I definitely like the idea of team ups, and I can’t say I’ve read more than a handful of co-authored books. As for co-writing something myself, I guess I’d be a little leery of that, because I like to have total creative freedom (to a point of course), and I don’t know if I would work well with someone else. I tried co-writing something with a friend of mine, like, eight years ago, but I basically took over and she was fine with that because she didn’t want to write anymore and I was coming up with all the ideas, so, yeah… My sister and I have tossed around the idea of co-writing a book, so yeah. As for authors I’d like to see team up–Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, Marie Lu and Patrick Ness (don’t ask why, I don’t know), and John Green and Lauren Oliver.

Okay, so Neil Gaiman and Laini Taylor? That would be amazing. But Neil Gaiman and Catherynne M. Valente? That would win all the awards from me. FOREVER. The only other duo I’ve read both of is Green and Schnider, and I… don’t much like either of their work. Their style is very similar and it’s not personally for me- I would love to see John and Maureen Johnson work together (they did in Let it Snow but in a bigger way would be awesome). Also: Cornelia Funke and J. K. Rowling, Julie Murphy and, like, Ally Carter or something? AWESOME.

Two Moiras, I think you need to name a book character that. I still have not read my Ness book, my P. Brown books, and I have not read The Book Thief! I know! What good am I? You listed some new to me authors that I have to check out too. The Accident Season was already on my tbr, and seeing you pair its author up with Maggie makes me want to put it up to the top of my list. 🙂

Your blog. I adore it! You’ve got such a great voice in your posts and your wit keeps me laughing. Love it! Also I really really appreciate #10 on this post. I love both GRRM and VES, though I’ve never imagined what kind of work they might produce together. But I’m really curious now!

Cait, in case you didn’t know (and we both know you do), you’re a genius. OMG! Can you work on kidnapping these authors, locking them up in pairs and forcing them to write books?!?! PLEASE! These combinations would just be incredible. I’d especially love Suzanne Collins and Pierce Brown’s creation, and also Marcus Zusak and Martha Brockenbrough. YES! I NEEDS THEM!